Testing of Cementitious Materials Using a Dynamic MEMS Micro Rheometer

Author(s): Yong-Sik Kim, Nicholas G. Dagalakis, Chiara Ferraris, Nicos S. Martys
Paper category: Conference
Book Title: 8th International RILEM Symposium on Self-Compacting Concrete - SCC 2016
Editor: Kamal H. Khayat
ISBN: 978-2-35158-156-8
e-ISBN: 978-2-35158-157-5
Publisher: RILEM Publications SARL
Publication year: 2016
Pages: 159-169
Total Pages: 11
Language: English

Abstract: Incompatibility of cementitious materials with admixtures often requires time consuming testing. Usually, several mixtures need to be prepared either using concrete or paste to determine the optimum High Range Water Reducer Admixture (HRWRA) dosage and type. The number of tests increases if the dosages of supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) are also being optimized. To help reduce testing time and amount of materials used, a high-throughput micro rheometer is being designed that is based on an oscillatory parallel plate type rheometer. This novel device is a planar single-Degree of Freedom (DOF) motion stage based on Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (MEMS) fabrication methods. To meet the requirements for application to cement-based materials, a single-DOF motion stage is driven by an electro-thermal actuator that is designed to provide a shear stress of up to 60 Pa. The device is small and inexpensive to manufacture and several of them can be used in parallel to test various mixtures of paste at the same time. A vision sensor recognizes a set of predetermined patterns embedded on the motion stages for monitoring their motions. Data were obtained on a prototype by measuring the rheological properties of bentonite.

Online publication: 2016
Publication Type: full_text
Public price (Euros): 0.00